If you are Gloria Macdangalang Arroyo that is. On the outside she exhibits confidence, but you know she has to be watching the US response to the coup in Thailand very carefully. Now mind you it has nothing to do with the fact that Thaksin may have deserved it, being both a crook and a buffoon. ( Maybe now the bars can stay open later!).
Its no secret that there are factions of the Philippine Army that are just chomping at the bit to make GMA go away. After all as I pointed out several months ago, surely you don’t expect her to actually do something about the sorry state the Philippines is in. No, not her. She would rather find ways to make sure Filipina maids be better trained before they go overseas to get raped work for peanuts.
Then again, old GMA may have learned a thing or two from Philippine history, or from the man she supposedly despises:
In fact, Ms Arroyo’s situation seems worse. Her administration faces a string of complaints lodged with the United Nations, replete with accusations of human rights violations including political killings.Crusading journalists exposing government graft end up jailed or killed.Her aides say her temper has become unpredictable – she abhors dissent, engaging in a ‘word war’ with senators over her alleged illegal use of public funds. Also, the US-educated Ms Arroyo seems to have no qualms in ordering the police to brutally disperse protesters. Leftists derisively call her a ‘fascist’. Indeed, both Dr Thaksin and Ms Arroyo have an arrogant, abrasive and confrontational style ofleadership.One noticeable difference, however, is that Dr Thaksin was not in firm control of his army generals. He may have been lulled into complacency that a coup, which last occurred 15 years ago, was a thing of the past.
Ms Arroyo, often compared by critics to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, does not take chances. Like Mr Marcos’ actions to perpetuate himself in power, she handpicks army generals whose loyalty to her is beyond question. So although there were coup attempts against her, Ms Arroyo survived because the generals in key positions rallied behind her. Coup plotters were detained.
Kind of reminds me of Donald Rumsfeld……………………..
Spike kind of summed up the options last year when he ghost wrote three versions of her State of the Nation speech last year. Seems like it still applies now:
1 – I’m really a good president. I’m sorry about the last election thing but I did nothing wrong. You elected me fairly and I am going to serve out the entire term. Sorry if I have no ideas about how to mend the fucked economy or deal with the terrorists in the South. Bite me. Thanks.2 – I’m declaring martial law and becoming a tyrant to end all this silly impeachment talk. Bite me. Thanks.
3 – I’ve thought it over and realize the country is in a terrible crisis. Our economy continues to stand still, our problems are no nearer to being solved, and nothing can move forward at all while the entire debate is centered on my honesty and ability to lead the country. So for the good of all, I resign my post as President and hand the reigns over to soft-core porn star Patricia Javier, who at least will look hot when she gives her speeches. See if you’re not begging to have me reinstated inside of three months. Bite me. Thanks.
That was written a year ago- has anything changed?
